Shifting our energy requirements from fossil fuel based to renewable based energy sources like solar can be a solution to mitigate climate change. can solar energy be used to fulfill all our electricity needs?

Decarbonization and Rising Renewable Energy Sources Key to Energy Transition The fight against global warming requires a purposeful energy transition from fossil-based energy towards renewable power sources throughout the worldwide energy sector. In the United States, local municipalities like New York City are also looking to reduce the use of coal, oil, and gas in favor of clean energy to meet sustainability goals. NYC, for example, hopes to reach 70% renewable energy by 2030 and zero-emissions electricity by 2040. As part of this energy transition, New York also implemented the Peaker Rule, which requires fossil fuel generators, specifically “peaker plants,” to meet stricter regulations on smog-forming pollutants starting in 2023. These plants, often located within electrical demand-heavy areas in New York City and Long Island, are used during high electricity demand or “peak” times. In their place, the city is looking to add clean energy hubs. So SEE MORE: A Breakdown of the Tier 4 RECS Renewable Energy Policy The Downtrend in Fossil Fuel Energy Production To reduce carbon emissions, we must reduce our reliance on the fossil fuels responsible for the majority of Pennsylvania, at the heart of coal country, is an excellent microcosm of the global energy transition. Its biggest power plant, A Growing Source of Renewable Energy As we move away from fossil-fuel production, The Champlain Hudson Power Express is the first of two projects constructed in New York as part of the...

IRENA, IEA and REN21 (2020), ‘Renewable Energy Policies in a Time of Transition: Heating and Cooling’. IRENA, OECD/IEA and REN21. Copy citation Copied /-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Nov/IRENA_IEA_REN21_Policies_Heating_Cooling_2020.pdf?rev=9c0d3621b4124e00b2f0c8ff89a329ac Copy url Copied Renewable Energy Policies in a Time of Transition: Heating and Cooling Heating and cooling accounts for almost half of global energy consumption. With most of this relying fossil fuels, however, it contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In parts of the world lacking modern energy access, meanwhile, inefficient biomass use for cooking also harms people’s health, damages the environment and reduces social well-being. The transition to renewable-based, energy-efficient heating and cooling could follow several possible pathways, depending on energy demand, resource availability and the needs and priorities of each country or region. Broad options include electrification with renewable power, renewable-based gases (including “green” hydrogen), sustainable bioenergy use, and the direct use of solar and geothermal heat. This report, developed jointly by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), outlines the infrastructure and policies needed with each transition pathway. This edition, focused on renewable-based heating and cooling, follows ...

New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies. These barriers include a ‘lack of attention’ to all potential energy carriers, failure to diversify renewable energy technologies beyond wind and solar power, deficiencies in policies, bottlenecks in permitting and grid connections, unequal investment levels in different regions, and continued large investments in fossil fuels. According to the Renewables 2023 Global Status Report, the global energy supply is split mostly among heat (49%) and fuel (29%), with electricity having the lowest share (22%) of all the energy carriers. In 2022, the share of renewables in the power sector reached 30%, mainly because the sector has received long-term policy attention that enabled market and technology development, and drove down costs. Across all sectors, renewables cover only 12.7% of the total energy system, a relatively low share in the larger scheme of things. ‘The record growth of renewables in the electricity sector is positive news. However, we need to more than double this growth and to achieve deep electrification of the heat and transport sectors. We also need to invest heavily in grid infrastructure to...

Electricity is one of three components that make up total energy production. The other two are transport and heating. As we see in more detail in this article, the breakdown of sources – coal, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables – is different in the electricity versus the energy mix. Generally, low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) account for a larger share in our electricity mix than our total energy mix. This means it’s important to distinguish between the two. In another page we provide the full breakdown of the Electricity Mix. Where do we get our electricity from? Which countries have the cleanest electricity grids? In this article we look at the breakdown across the world. Solar and wind generation are growing quickly across the world. This is, of course, good news as we try to shift our energy systems away from fossil fuels. Such progress often makes the headlines. Here is one example from this year: → (Independent, 2020) At first glance, we might think that we are edging close to a fossil-free energy system. Unfortunately, many of these headlines are misleading. 1The Independent made the mistake of using the terms electricity and energy interchangeably, when they are actually not the same thing. Electricity (or ‘power’) is just one component of total energy consumption. The other two components being transport and heating. When we see headlines about our progress on decarbonization, the quoted figures often refer to electricity. Many countries are making progr...

Renewable energy – powering a safer future A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat. Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are by far The science is clear: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. To achieve this, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable. Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air. Fossil fuels still account for more than 80 percent of Here are five reasons why accelerating the transition to clean energy is the pathway to a healthy, livable planet today and for generations to come. 1. Renewable energy sources are all around us About In contrast, renewable energy sources are available in all countries, and their potential is yet to be fully harnessed. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels, while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and ...